Sewing machine



R LADUE SEWING EJACHINE Dec. 3, 1940.

3 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25, 19

INVENTOR Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE direct and mesne assignments, to Mardel Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application April 25, 1938, Serial No. 204,013

1 Claim.

This invention relates to sewing machines and has particular reference to sewing machines and work holders therefor whereby special stitching operations may be produced rapidly and effectively.

In my copending application Serial No. 135,636, filed April 8, 1937, now Patent No. 2,131,055, granted September 27, 1938, there is described a method of permanently attaching cuffs to the w cufiless sleeves of an otherwise completed shirt after the sleeves thereof have been trimmed to the measured length of the wearer, less the effective Width of the corresponding cuffs. The present invention relates to a machine for so attaching the cuffs to the sleeves by stitching after the latter have been trimmed as described.

In accordance with the invention, an automatic sewing machine is provided having a cuff and sleeve holding device, so that they may be stitched together in the manner described, In one form of the machine, the work holder is advanced by intermittent mechanism in synchronism with the movements of the needle so that the cuff is automatically stitched to the sleeve. Preferably both sleeves with the corresponding cuffs positioned in proper relation are so arranged on the work holder as to be stitched together in one operation. In another form of the machine of this invention, a frame for attachment to a standard sewing machine is provided in which the work holder for the cuff is slidably advanced by the usual work-feeding mechanism of the machine.

It will be seen that with the combination sewing machine and work holder of this invention a haberdasher may rapidly and securely apply the cuffs to the trimmed sleeves in the store in a very short time and, although the invention is particularly adapted for the purpose described, it is not limited to that use.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the sewing machine of this invention shown partially in section as seen along the line |-I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, with a portion of the stitching head broken away for clarity;

50 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section as seen along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and illustrates the mechanism for advancing the work holder carriage;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section as seen along the line. 4-4 of Fig 2;

55 Fig; 5 is an enlarged cross-section of the work holder carriage as seen along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modification of the sewing machine of this invention withthe stitching head broken away in the interest of clarity;

Figs. '7 and 8 are longitudinal sections therethrough as seen along the lines 'Il and v88, respectively; and

Fig, 9 is a transverse section as seen along the line 9-9. 10

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, numeral It designates a substantially conventional form of sewing machine having the stitching head I I, the reciprocating needle [2 driven by mechanism ineluding shaft l3 connected to pulley and flywheel l4 driven by electric motor l5 through belt Hi, all supported by the bed plate H. The machine Ill is of the lock-stitch, preferably single needle type, and is provided with the usual shuttle mechanism beneath the bed plate I1, although, in the interest of clarity the shuttle mechanism is not shown, inasmuch as it is conventional, such as the oscillating shuttle type.

The bed plate I! of machine It) is supported on a frame H! which is generally T-shaped in plan, as shown in Fig. 2, and is arranged in such a Way that a standard *bed plate II will fit on it without material change. The frame I8 is provided with the feet I9 and with a rear support 20 which is adjustable to compensate for irregularities in the supporting table or the like.

As is shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 5, the bed plate I! of the machine In is provided with a transverse slot which continues into the frame l8 and is designated 2| in Fig. 2, A similar slot 22 is provided in the frame l8 and extends along the front of the bed plate I! but does not intercept it.

Slidably mounted in slot 2| is a slide 23 and slidably mounted in slot 22 is a slide 24. The two 40 slides 23 and 24 are connected together at their ends by bars 26, and this structure forms the carriage 25. Bars 26 also act as handles whereby the carriage 25 may be moved along the frame It.

As shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 4,. the end bars 26 are provided with flanges 2'! to which are secured by screws 28 or the like, a pair of elongated plates of thin metal or the like, 29 and 30, which are also secured to the corresponding v slides 24 and 23, respectively, and which are spaced apart at their inner edges to provide the slot 3| extending along the carriage 25 for the needle ll of the sewing machine as it cooperates with the shuttle, not shown, but positioned besupported against material flexing along their inner marginal edges by a rail 32 on the frame |8, as shown particularly in Fig. 5.

Positioned adjacent the longitudinal inner edges of plates '29 and 30 along the slot 3| are spaced sets of sharp, upwardly-extending pins 33 and 33, Near the center of the carriage 25 two pairs of such pins 33 are provided, one pair on one side of the slot 3| on plate 33 and the other pair on the opposite side of slot 3| on plate 29. At the opposite ends of the carriage two sets of three pins 33' each are positioned on opposite sides of the slot 3|, one set on plate 3!! and the other set on plate 29, The purpose of the pins 33 and 33 is to position the sleeve designated S in Figs. 2 and 5 in proper relation to the cufi designated C. As is shown particularly in Fig. 5 the cuff C is provided with a slot or pocket formed between the inner and outer layers of fabric that form the cuff C intowhich is adapted to be inserted the trimmed end of the sleeve S.

In assembling the sleeve S and cuff C on the carriage 25, the cuff C is first impaled on one of the pins 33 at the center of the carriage and then is stretched taut and impaled on any one or more of the pins 33 at the corresponding end of the carriage, depending upon the length of the cuff ,which usually is provided in two or three sizes. The cuff C is properly positioned with respect to the slot 3| and the needle l2 by a guide 34 formed by upwardly turning the inner edge of the plate 29 along the slot 3| as shownin Fig. 5. The cuff C is accordingly laid on plate 33 with its slotted or pocketed edge engaging the guide 34 and it is then impaled in this position upon the corresponding pins 33 and 33 in the manner described. After the cuff C has been so positioned, the trimmed end of the sleeve S is inserted in the cuff slot or pocket as far as it. will go, and the sleeve is then impaled upon corresponding pins 33 and 33'. -So positioned the cuff C and sleeve 8 are in proper alignment to be evenly stitched together.

Additional means are preferably provided for holding the cuff C .and sleeve S or either of them in the described .position. In the preferred arrangement a thin clamp plate 35, extending along the slot 3| and of a length at least as wide as the length of the corresponding cuff, is secured on a shaft 33 journalled in bearings 31 formed on the slide 23. Preferably a handle bar 38 is also pinned to the shaft 35, so that the clamp plate 35 may be readily raised and lowered, the clamp plate 35 being provided with apertures to admit the pins 33 and 33' which, however, need not be materially longer than the thickness of the cuff.

In order to urge'the plate 35 resiliently against the cuff C so as to clamp it securely against the plate 30, a spring39 is connected tohandle bar 38 and to the slide 23 and is displaced at one side of the shaft 36. When the clamp plate 35 is raised by liftingthe handlebar 3B, the spring 33, because of its displaced position, is moved beyond the center of the shaft 35 with a sort of toggle action, and thus holds the clamp plate '35 in elevated position, as illustrated in Fig. 4, so that the operator may freely insert and remove the cuff C. Stops '40 limit. the elevated position of the clamp plate 35.

Two such clamp plates 35 are employed for each cuff, both being mounted on the carriage 25 in the manner described. Likewise, substantially similar clamp plates 4| are mounted on the slide 24 for holding the sleeves S in place and operate in the same way as clamp plates 35, so that they need not be described in further detail.

The slide 24 is provided with a depending flange 42 having ratchet teeth 43. as shown in Fig. 3. Cooperating with the ratchet teeth 43 is a pawl 44, which is housed within a small chamber defined by a depending flange 45 on the bed plate I! and a bottom plate 46, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The

to normally urge the pawl 44 into engagement with the ratchet teeth 43, as shown in Fig. 3. The pawl 44 is provided with an aperture into which fits the spherical head 48 of an oscillating lever 49 mounted on a shaft 50 positioned beneath the bed plate l! of the machine and journalled at one end in the frame l8 and at the other end in abutment 5| on the bed plate The shaft 5|] is provided with a laterally extending lever 52 to which is pivoted the lower end of a connecting rod 53 fitted with an eccentric strap 54 at its upper end, which cooperates with the eccentric 55 mounted on drive shaft .|3 of the machine l0. Thus, as the machine operates the eccentric 55 reciprocates connectingirod 53 in a vertical direction and, because of its lever connection with shaft 53, the latter is oscillated soas to reciprocate the pawl 44 by means of lever 49. The movement of the pawl .44 is synchronized with the reciprocation of the needle l2 'insuch a) For the purpose of releasing the carriage 25' for retraction to the right hand end of the frame l8 in order to begin a stitching operation, ,pawl 44 is disengaged manually from the ratchet teeth 45 by pressing the pawl button 56 projecting through a slot in the front of the frame l8 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The pawl 44 is manually held disengaged from the ratchet teeth, 43 .in this fashion until the carriage 25 is retracted t0, the extreme limit of its right handposition, which is determined by theengagement between a de-, pending lug 51 thereon and an abutment 53 on the frame l8, as shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 4. A similar lug 59, shown in Fig. 2, on the right hand end of the carriage 25 engages the button 33 of an electric single throw, single pole snapswitch 6| series connected in the circuit of the motor |5 for stopping the motor l5 at the end of thestitching operation. A second button 62 for the switch 6| projects from the front of the frame l8 whereby the electric motor |5 may be energized to start the stitching operation, and whereby button 63 is reset.

Referring .to the modification illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, a standard high-speed, single needle, lock-stitch sewing machine is utilized without change, and the standard work feeding mechanism is employed for advancing the carriage as well as the work. -In this arrangement the shuttle plate slide is removed and a correrests and which is secured to the bed plate 64 by means of set screws 88. The rear end of the machine is suitably supported as is usual. In the interest of clarity, the shuttle mechanism of the sewing machine is not shown and the oscillating work feeders 69 are only partially shown in Figs.

' 7 and 9, but it will be understood that they are of conventional form and driven in the usual way.

The frame 86 is provided with longitudinal slots 10 and H, the latter slot having its bottom flush with the upper surface of the bed plate 64 of the machine as shown in Fig. 9, whereas the guide rail 12, defining the rear edge of slot H,

extends over the top of the bed plate 64, as also shown in Fig. 9. The front slot 18 extends past the front edge of the bed plate 64 and is disposed below the upper surface thereof so that slide 13 in rear slot H is at a higher level than slide 14 in front slot 18. As before, the ends of slides 12 and T3 are connected by bars 15, and the carriage 18 thus formed is of a length sufficient to accommodate only one cuif, as compared to the two-cuff carriage 25 shown in Fig. 2.

Secured to the slides 13 and I4 is a thin metal plate 18 extending upwardly at its rear edge to form a. support 11 in case a double or French type cuff is employed. This plate closely overlies the bed plate 64 of the machine and, being thin and therefore somewhat flexible, is supported by a rail'lQ on the frame 66. The plate 18 is provided with an elongated slot of a width to accommodate the presser foot 8| of the sewing machine, so that the presser foot 8| may cooperate with the work feeding devices 69 in the usual way to advance the cloth relatively to the needle.

As before, the plate 18 is provided with upstanding pins 82 on which the cuff C" and the sleeve S may be impaled and held in position for the stitching operation. In order to aid the work feeding devices 89 to advance the carriage 16 through the agency of the intervening cloth, a spring motor 83, mounted on the frame 66 and connected by cord or light cable 84 to the carriage 16, may be provided. This partially wound spring motor is' further wound up when the carriage is drawn to its extreme right hand position, depending on the length of the cuff C, and when the machine is started, the spring motor aids in drawing the carriage 16 to the left, as seen in Fig. 6. The cable or cord 84 connecting the spring motor 83 to the carriage 16 may be conveniently inserted in the space 85 provided between the upwardly turned rear edge of the plate 18 and the slide 13, as shown in Fig. 9. In this arrangement no work clamps, in addition to the pins 82, are provided, although if desired work clamps similar to those identified by numerals 35 and 4| in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 may be employed. For accommodating round cuffs provided with buttons B, the plate 18 is provided with a slot 86 which serves as a gauge for properly positioning the cuff in respect to the sleeve, particularly where two cuffs are mounted on the same carriage, as in the arrangement of Fig. 2 where a button slot 86 shown on Fig. 6 is provided on opposite ends of the carriage.

In operation of the arrangements of Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the cuff C is first gauged by flange 34 and is then impaled on the pins 33 and 33' in the proper position. Where round cuffs with buttons are provided the button is placed in the slot 86. Then the sleeve S is inserted in the pocket or slot of the cuff C and impaled on the corresponding pins 33 and 33'. The work clamp 35 is lowered and holds the cuff C in the proper relation to the sleeve and likewise the work clamp 44 holds the sleeve S in proper relation to the cuff C. So positioned the cuff and sleeve are ready for being stitched together by the needle and shuttle mechanism of the machine, the operation of which begins with the carriage 25 in its extreme right hand position. The stitching head II and the needle I2 are thus located adjacent the extreme left hand end of the center slot 3!, their exact position being determined by the operator in accordance with the position of the corresponding end of the cuff C. In so positioning the carriage 25, the operator releases the pawl 44 by depressing button 56 and moves the carriage by means of one of the handle bars 26. The motor 25 is then energized by actuation of button 62 which sets button 60 for engagement by the lug 59 on the carriage at the end of the stitching operation. The carriage 25 is accordingly advanced intermittently, between stitching movements of the needle l2 and shuttle, by the reciprocating pawl 44 cooperating with the ratchet teeth 43 on the carriage 25. The lockstitching operation securely attaches the cuff to the sleeve in a single operation. The sleeves with the attached cuffs are removed by raising work clamps 34 and 4| and the thread connecting the two sleeves is severed. The operation of the arrangement of Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, is similar and is readily understood from the foregoing description. 1

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited thereby, but is susceptible of changes in form and detail within the scope of the appended claim. For example, instead of moving the work holding carriage relatively to the stitching mechanism, the latter may be driven relatively to the work holder, and the plates 29 and 38 may be joined as a single plate having the narrow needle slot 3| similar to plate 18, and the like. Also, where the carriage 16 of the arrangement of Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, is sufficiently light in weight to be driven wholly, by the work feeders 69 without the aid of the spring motor 83, the latter may be omitted so that the carriage may be readily removed from the frame 66 for the purpose of more conveniently attaching the cuff and sleeve thereto, and then inserting the carriage in the slots 10 and 'II for the stitching operation.

I claim:

In combination with a sewing machine for stitching a cuff to the sleeve of a shirt, said cuff having a pocket for the reception of the end of the sleeve, a carriage having an elongated slot for the passage of the needle of said machine, means on the carriage for securing the cuff thereon with the inner edge of the cuff overlapping said slot, a gage flange on said carriage projecting from and extending along an edge of said slot for engagement by the said inner edge of the cuff to position the same in said overlapping relation with said slot, means on the carriage for securing the shirt sleeve thereon with the free end thereof overlapping said slot and the inner end of the cuff and inserted in' the pocket of the cuff, means for actuating the sewing machine, and means simultaneously engaging opposite surfaces of said cuff for relatively moving said carriage and machine for stitching said cuff and sleeve together in said overlapped relation.

RALPH E. LADUE. 

